Ranking the MVC Facilities

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We've discussed the stadium before and I agree with the author. The Hulman Center is a terrible basketball faciliy, the students have one section near the action and the rest are tucked into middle tiers -- it's terrible. I'm hoping they reconfigure the Hulman Center down the road to make it more student-centric, stuff them around most of the court like most current venues do.
 
I totally disagree. Hulman Center is an excellent basketball facility. There isn't a bad seat in the house, and the acoustics in the building provide an outstanding atmosphere if there's a big crowd. Unfortunately, 2,000 people sitting in a space for 10,000 makes for an awful atmosphere. But that's not the fault of the facilities.

Now the students should all be together at one end, from the floor to the roof. Move the band to the other end (or move all the students to the other end if you have to keep the band next to the opposing team's bench), but I'll agree that the students should be together. Once again, if any students actually showed up to games, this would be a moot point. 50 students in a section that seats 3,000 is pretty lame. It would be impossible to "ring the floor" with students unless you dug out the floor and added an entirely new level below the existing seats, much like they have at the Breslin Center at Michigan State. The footprint of the building doesn't provide enough room to do that, I don't think. Nice idea, but not gonna happen...

If you want to talk atmosphere, yeah, we have a terrible one. But our facility is great. I'd rather watch a ballgame there than at any other basketball venue in Indiana...
 
I think Hulman Center might be one of the worst in the Missouri Valley. I mean we can't even fill the place up on free ticket day how is that? I don't think they are worrying about basketball right now, I think the AD is worried about getting the football program back to where it should be.:wordyo:
 
jlandrus23 said:
I think Hulman Center might be one of the worst in the Missouri Valley. I mean we can't even fill the place up on free ticket day how is that? I don't think they are worrying about basketball right now, I think the AD is worried about getting the football program back to where it should be.:wordyo:
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There's a difference between atmosphere and facility. You are referring to atmosphere, which I agree is absolutely terrible!!! Our facility is very good...

:sycamores::sycamores::sycamores:
 
jlandrus23 said:
I think Hulman Center might be one of the worst in the Missouri Valley. I mean we can't even fill the place up on free ticket day how is that? I don't think they are worrying about basketball right now, I think the AD is worried about getting the football program back to where it should be.:wordyo:
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the fact that we cant get anyone out to hulman center has nothing to do with thte facility itself . WIN GAMES PEOPLE WILL COME thus making hulman center a nice place to play again
 

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IndyTreeFan said:
I totally disagree. Hulman Center is an excellent basketball facility. There isn't a bad seat in the house, and the acoustics in the building provide an outstanding atmosphere if there's a big crowd. Unfortunately, 2,000 people sitting in a space for 10,000 makes for an awful atmosphere. But that's not the fault of the facilities.

Now the students should all be together at one end, from the floor to the roof. Move the band to the other end (or move all the students to the other end if you have to keep the band next to the opposing team's bench), but I'll agree that the students should be together. Once again, if any students actually showed up to games, this would be a moot point. 50 students in a section that seats 3,000 is pretty lame. It would be impossible to "ring the floor" with students unless you dug out the floor and added an entirely new level below the existing seats, much like they have at the Breslin Center at Michigan State. The footprint of the building doesn't provide enough room to do that, I don't think. Nice idea, but not gonna happen...

If you want to talk atmosphere, yeah, we have a terrible one. But our facility is great. I'd rather watch a ballgame there than at any other basketball venue in Indiana...
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On one end? That's exactly what I'm talking about that's wrong and why some students that I knew quit going when I was still at State. The probably is the Hulman Center was developed as a multi-use facility and not just for basketball.

Consdering the Terre Haute public gives two shits about Sycamore athletics, cater to the damn students and get them to the games. Try to shove them up in the balcony and they're not going to show up. Just my two cents.
 
I was in school when the move was made to put us in the end. It was GREAT! We didn't care that we didn't have the best seats in the house, we were in a GREAT position to wreak havoc with the other team's bench!!! It was so much fun! Of course, the band wasn't there back then, I guess they were on the other end, although I don't really remember.

We cannot realistically ring the floor with students. Economics dictates that you don't want to put students, who will likely stand for a large portion of the game, in front of people who are ponying up money for their seats, and will likely want to sit down for most of the game. Unfortunately, you have to keep that in mind.

Besides, I like the idea of an entire end of the arena being students. It gives them plenty of seats, and they can be one loud cheering block. Of course, they'd have to show up. Not going to the games because the student section is in the end of the arena is simply lame. So typical of today's students...
 
I think that article is an absolute joke. I have seen both SIU's and Illinois State's arenas and they are both garbage compared to the Hulman Center. If the writer was comparing "atmosphere" in the buildings during a game I wouldn't disagree with the Sycamores being picked last, but the Hulman Center is an extremely nice facility.
 
Jason, I have to disagree with you on this one. The Hulman Center is a very good basketball venue, great sightlines, and comfortable seats close to the court. The atmosphere at the games during the glory years was incredible. At that time students had the about half the lower bowl and the race for seats once the doors were opened was something to behold. All we need are more butts in those seats.
 
the current seating seat up for students was asked for by...the students!!!!

i was there at isu working in the athletic department when it happened....student groups came to the athletic department and actually requested the move...they had all sorts of meetings....and that was what they wanted.....

as for finding ways to get students to games.....they have tried that too......i really get tired of hearing how they athletic department doesnt do enough for the student body....cause when they do go the extra-mile, the students don't take advantage of it....like the seating situation at the hulman center....and the shuttle buses from campus to memorial stadium for football.....

i always thought that it was funny when people complained about the distance from campus to memorial stadium...and 'woe is me, how do we get students to the stadium...its too far away'...yet those same students always seemed to find ways to get to the various bars around town...or to drive down to bloomington, muncie, west lafayette or indianapolis for parties....or drive south for spring break....lol....but a short drive down wabash avenue was supposed to be a bit too far....lol.....

its time that the students took the initiative for a change and stood up. let them come up with some plans that will work.
 

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I wish we could get more students to the games so that the players know that their peers are actually to watch and root for them instead of their parents embarrassing them.
 
So Terre Haute residents give "two shits" about the Sycamores, so get students to the games??? At least 3-4 thousand residents of Terrre Haute PAY go to games, versus 3-4 HUNDRED students who go for FREE. Granted, more could be done to keep students more informed and engaged, but dissing the TH community really makes no sense. Students can go for free and don't. TH residents do care, but many are tired of losing. Can't say I blame them. We win again, they will continue to show, and pay, in greater numbers.
 
TJames said:
i was there at isu working in the athletic department when it happened....student groups came to the athletic department and actually requested the move...they had all sorts of meetings....and that was what they wanted.....

as for finding ways to get students to games.....they have tried that too......i really get tired of hearing how they athletic department doesnt do enough for the student body....cause when they do go the extra-mile, the students don't take advantage of it....like the seating situation at the hulman center....and the shuttle buses from campus to memorial stadium for football.....

i always thought that it was funny when people complained about the distance from campus to memorial stadium...and 'woe is me, how do we get students to the stadium...its too far away'...yet those same students always seemed to find ways to get to the various bars around town...or to drive down to bloomington, muncie, west lafayette or indianapolis for parties....or drive south for spring break....lol....but a short drive down wabash avenue was supposed to be a bit too far....lol.....

its time that the students took the initiative for a change and stood up. let them come up with some plans that will work.
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You could not be more dead on with this.

Some students are just lazy and care more about which party to attend rather than enjoying a basketball game.
 
thanks for the coments...but hulman center is even worse....

because the facility is located...WITHIN WALKING DISTANCE FROM CAMPUS....lol...heck, i've seen kids walk to the bally.....to the downtown area....to simmerell's.....but they can't mosey over a few blocks from campus to see a home basketball game????....

ok...i'll give those students who can't seem to find their way to hulman center some directions.....walk east across campus.....its the big building....across the street from hulman and company...and behind both the terminal and the copper bar....lol...you can't miss it....lol......
 
Revolution said:
So Terre Haute residents give "two shits" about the Sycamores, so get students to the games??? At least 3-4 thousand residents of Terrre Haute PAY go to games, versus 3-4 HUNDRED students who go for FREE. Granted, more could be done to keep students more informed and engaged, but dissing the TH community really makes no sense. Students can go for free and don't. TH residents do care, but many are tired of losing. Can't say I blame them. We win again, they will continue to show, and pay, in greater numbers.
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Yes, some residents do care. I should have not made it a blanket statement, however, it still is valid in terms of the lack of support from the Terre Haute area. Just my opinion of course.
 

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IndyTreeFan said:
I was in school when the move was made to put us in the end. It was GREAT! We didn't care that we didn't have the best seats in the house, we were in a GREAT position to wreak havoc with the other team's bench!!! It was so much fun! Of course, the band wasn't there back then, I guess they were on the other end, although I don't really remember.

We cannot realistically ring the floor with students. Economics dictates that you don't want to put students, who will likely stand for a large portion of the game, in front of people who are ponying up money for their seats, and will likely want to sit down for most of the game. Unfortunately, you have to keep that in mind.

Besides, I like the idea of an entire end of the arena being students. It gives them plenty of seats, and they can be one loud cheering block. Of course, they'd have to show up. Not going to the games because the student section is in the end of the arena is simply lame. So typical of today's students...
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When I left in 2000, the student section consisted of the South end of the stadium. The Psychos (as they were called at the time) were squeezed in with the Band AND Sparkettes in the lower section, then everyone else went into the second deck and rafters behind them -- and the rafters view sucks. I know, I got stuck there several times during the Menser teams because I got to the games late or what not.

Additionally, you don't have to "ring" the court. Many of the modern facilities have worked it out where the students occupy a half OR both ends of the court -- which I would be fine with. The bottom line is there needs to be more access for students sitting in the second deck or lower -- that is what I'm talking about when I say it stunk. If this has changed since I left in 2000 -- great!
 
TJames said:
i was there at isu working in the athletic department when it happened....student groups came to the athletic department and actually requested the move...they had all sorts of meetings....and that was what they wanted.....

as for finding ways to get students to games.....they have tried that too......i really get tired of hearing how they athletic department doesnt do enough for the student body....cause when they do go the extra-mile, the students don't take advantage of it....like the seating situation at the hulman center....and the shuttle buses from campus to memorial stadium for football.....

i always thought that it was funny when people complained about the distance from campus to memorial stadium...and 'woe is me, how do we get students to the stadium...its too far away'...yet those same students always seemed to find ways to get to the various bars around town...or to drive down to bloomington, muncie, west lafayette or indianapolis for parties....or drive south for spring break....lol....but a short drive down wabash avenue was supposed to be a bit too far....lol.....

its time that the students took the initiative for a change and stood up. let them come up with some plans that will work.
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Tom, everything you mention is a completely different generation. The dynamics in college are much different and you can't just say "Well when I was at State..." because it doesn't apply. Hell, there has been a drastic change since when I left campus in 2000 to today's students.

That said, the communication to the general student body from the athletic department when I was at State was PATHETIC. Aside from articles in the Statesman, you wouldn't know about any of the programs unless you actively sought them out. The only programs I remember openly soliciting fans was women's volleyball and the new (then club level) soccer programs.

It isn't like I wasn't paying attention either. I spent pretty much all my time on campus and was involved with many organizations including my fraternity (Kappa Alpha Order), Union Board, SGA, so on and so forth. Hell, there was even more solicitation by the skydiving club then basketball, football, baseball, et al.

Hopefully there is some young blood within the athletics offices now -- they need to learn how to reach out to the students and promote their programs better. Again, if this has changed since I left in 2000 -- great!
 
jason...i dont know when you were last a student at isu....

i left there in 1997...not all that long ago...and i have kept in touch with the people in the athletic department since i left.....so i think i know what they are doing marketing-wise and promotion-wise.....now i will say that at one time, around the time that i left, isu's supposed athletic marketing person was terrible...all she cared about was men and women's hoops...and all other sports be damned...yes, she gave a lot of lip service to football and some to baseball....and the others were just left out in the cold.....

but all that being said, i do know that the athletic department has tried different things....like the shuttle buses to football.....at some point, the student body has to throw its two cents as well....i do know that isu has tried to do various things in and around the isu campus community...some have been accepted...and others not......and as a former athletic department employee, i do know that you just keep going at it...chopping wood, as it were...and try to find something to break through.....

we tried to have football rallies on campus.....all sorts of give-aways with prizes...to entice students to games.....short of actually going and dragging them to the various athletic events, i think we did as much as we could with the budget and time that we had available....

as i said, i left in 1997....that's 12 years ago.....but i am at isu a lot now....i talk to people in the athletic department...i talk to people on campus...i talk to people in town.....and i know that you would have to be dead not to know when a game is being played....lol.....especially a home game.....lol......

the games are written about in the local paper...the tv stations talk about them....the radio stations talk about them.....lol....

i mean, you're a college student...your school has a team...its the fall..its a saturday.....lol...do we need to kidnap you and take you by force to the game????...lol.....

or it's winter....the big building on the east side of campus is all lit up....its basketball season....ya think a basketball game might be being played????....lol.....
 
The article mainly hammered the Hulman Center on the atmosphere which, I think, we all agree sucks. The facility is great I love watching basketball games there and everybody that I have ever brought with me has had nothing but compliments for the facility.
 
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